Paradise has returned to the summit of the Barbados Football Association’s Premier League after blanking an out of sorts UWI Blackbirds 5-0 in second round action on Sunday.
With previous leaders Brittons Hill going down 3-1 to Kickstart Rush in the opener, the result carried Paradise back to the top of the table on 21 points, with Ellerton a close second on 20 points, the same as Kickstart Rush but with a superior goal difference.
Ellerton captain Shakille Belle led from the front with a hat trick. (Photo Credit: Kurtis Hinds)
Playing in the day’s second match, Kamol Griffith netted twice, while goals from Sheran Hoyte, Tiago Barrow and Shamari Harewood completed the rout for Paradise.
The Dover-based side showcased a wide range of attacks, and were able to rest keeper Jireh Malcom for the closing stages of the encounter.
Reflecting on the see-saw nature of the season so far, Paradise coach Mario Harte describes it as one of the most competitive in the last decade.
“It’s a good feeling to start the second round with a win. We had some tough results because we felt that we could have gotten more from the games, especially the last one last week.
“Football plays on the night and we’re just happy to get three points above all tonight. Our philosophy is the same, we take it game by game. Fitness is a big thing on the list, and the guys are responding well,” Harte said following the victory.
Earlier, in the top of the table clash, Brittons Hill would be disappointed to have missed the opportunity to maintain their grip on the top spot.
They found themselves on the backfoot after conceding yet another early goal when Azarel Crooney put Kickstart ahead in the eighth minute.
To compound matters, they missed several chances to equalise and were subsequently punished in the 62nd minute when national Under-17 player Jamarco Johnson capped off a fine counter-attacking move with a classy finish to double Kickstart’s advantage.
Steven Pierre pulled a goal back for Brittons Hill in the 73rd minute, but any thoughts of a late fightback were snuffed out by Ethan Squires in the 94th minute, as Kickstart sealed a deserved win.
For their coach Renaldo Gilkes, it was the perfect start to the second half the season
“Many times in the first round we were just short of victory a number of times. We didn’t lose, but we didn’t win either, so I had a bit of a reflection session with the players and the management, and let them know it should be a case of giving more, both cognitively and physically,” Gilkes said.
In the nightcap game, things went from bad to worse for Wotton.
The day began with head coach Marlon Harte parting ways with the club, following a disastrous start to the season that saw them lose all nine of their matches.
Harte cited a number of factors for his departure, including personal considerations.
With club president Rasheed Belgrave in the dugout, Wotton played well in patches during the opening minutes, before being hammered 8-0 by Ellerton.
Captain Shakille Belle led the way for Ellerton with a hat trick, while Roshon Gittens added two goals and there was one each from Marco St Hill, Keshem Moore and Anson Barrow.
Wotton remained bottom of the table without a point and face an increasingly uphill battle to avoid relegation.
Ellerton’s manager Corey Barrow believes his team could have been even more clinical, but was ultimately satisfied with the result.
“So as I said before, the competition is going to be very close and very tight. This is one of the most competitive Premier Leagues I’ve seen in years. All five teams that are on the top stand a realistic chance of winning the competition, so a draw is just as bad as a loss. You just have to keep winning,” Barrow said.
Premiership action continues on Tuesday, as St Andrew Lions face Pride of Gall Hill, while defending champions Wales oppose Bagatelle.
kurtishinds@barbadostoday.bb
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